On Tuesday, the Nigeria Labour Congress demanded that the Federal Government refund the Academic Staff Union of Universities members’ withheld salaries. In a communique distributed at the National Executive Council meeting held in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, the union made this statement.
The Federal Government implemented the no-work, no-pay policy against ASUU as a result of the protracted strike. “NEC underlined the collapse of effective collective bargaining apparatus in the tertiary education sub-sector,” the organization said in the bulletin.
This fact is supported by the recent, protracted labor dispute in the nation’s public universities, which culminated in industrial litigation, arm-twisting of conciliation efforts, severe violations of human and trade union rights, withholding of university employees’ salaries, and interference in trade union activities, including the balkanization of unions in the tertiary education sub-sector and overt threats to outlaw existing unions.
The NEC made the following decision: demanded that the government enhance financial allocation to the education sector and uphold all collective bargaining agreements with unions in the tertiary education sub-sector, particularly with regard to wages and conditions of service;
“Requested the release of the withheld wages owing to university employees. rejects the government’s “no work, no pay” policy;
“Called on the Minister of Labour and Employment to uphold the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the Trade Unions Act (CAP T14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria), and International Labor Organization Conventions 87 and 98 on respect for trade union independence, promotion of tripartism, and social dialogue in the discharge of his official duties.
“NEC further agreed to safeguard trade union independence as provided by the crystal-clear terms of our labor legislation,” reads the statement.
